Pancreatic Stem Cells

ISBN-13: 9781617794865 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 154 str.

Juan Dominguez-Bendala

Opis

From the discovery of Pdx1, the first "master gene" of pancreatic development, to the most recent findings on the role of microRNAs in beta cell homeostasis, the last fifteen years have seen an unprecedented advance in our understanding of the precise development and organization of the many different cell types that make up the pancreas. It is now widely acknowledged that the therapeutic differentiation of stem cells into pancreatic cells is an ambitious endeavor that will not succeed without a thorough understanding of the molecular processes underlying the native development of the organ. This book, aimed at experts and students alike, offers a comprehensive review of the state of the art in both pancreatic development and regeneration. The many strategies to differentiate adult and embryonic stem cells into pancreatic beta cells are also discussed in the context of potential therapeutic interventions for type I diabetes.

Recenzje

From the reviews:

"There are 69 instructive pictures showing the schemes of individual processes and 787 selected up to date references. There are very useful several insertion explaining individual special terms by a simple and instructive way. This small and valuable book containing a number of up to date and prospective information ... of great value not only for those who are directly involved in diabetes and related problems, but for all those who like to understand the medicine of the future, including medical students." (Endocrine Regulations, 2009)

"Part of the series Stem Cell Biology and regenerative Medicine, this book discusses a field of great interest at present. ... With 787 references. For research diabetologists." (Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews, Vol. 8 (2), December, 2010)

Spis treści

Table of Contents: Preface. Importance of the subject in the context of type I diabetes (2-3 pages) The pancreas (15 pages) Pancreatic development (50-60 pages) Pancreatic regeneration (30-40 pages) Models of regeneration Stem cells vs. beta cell replication Stem cell differentiation: general approaches (20-30 pages) Recapitulation of pancreatic development Signal-driven strategies Gene transfer and protein transduction Physiological variables Embryonic stem cells and pancreatic differentiation (40 pages) Adult stem cells and pancreatic differentiation (60 pages) Bone marrow Umbilical cord Ductal and acinar cells Mesenchymal stem cells and de-differentiation Transdifferentiation (30 pages) Remaining challenges and clinical perspectives (20-30 pages)

Blurb

The aim of Pancreatic Stem Cells is to provide a broad overview of an intriguing model of organogenesis (the development of the pancreas) from the perspective of stem cell research. The tangible prospect of devising effective cell therapies for type I diabetes –a disease thus far considered incurable– has stoked a widespread interest in harnessing our knowledge on the basic biology behind the development of this organ. This text is conceived as an all-encompassing guide to explore the many aspects of "regenerative therapies" for the endocrine pancreas, from adult and embryonic stem cells to endogenous regeneration and transdifferentiation. All these themes are built upon an up-to-date discussion on pancreatic ontogeny, which provides a solid background for both basic scientists and health professionals.